>> FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, EVERYONE AND THEIR MOTHER HAS BEEN IN THE GYM GETTING READY FOR THE SUMMER.

IT'S A PRETTY COMMON WAY TO START THE YEAR, BUT WITH THE END OF WINTER SO, TOO, COMES THE END OF THE DESIRE FOR A BEACH BODY.

THAT'S RIGHT, EVERYBODY, DROP YOUR DUMBBELLS AND LEAVE THE GYM.

IT'S TIME TO START THOSE GARDENS.

WHETHER YOU'RE A NOVICE OR A PRO, EVERYONE KNOWS HITTING THE GYM SHOULD ONLY COME AFTER HITTING THE GARDEN, IT'S A KNOWN FACT.

WHAT ARE PEOPLE GOING TO SEE MORE OF, YOUR LATS OR YOUR LAWN?

YOUR GLUTES OR YOUR GARDEN?

YOUR ABDOMINALS OR YOUR PERENNIALS?

WHAT DO YOU GET FROM WORKING OUT?

WITH EXERCISE, THE FRUIT OF YOUR LABOR IS BEING OUT OF BREATH AND SWEATY.

WITH GARDENING, THE FRUITS ARE LITERAL FRUITS, ALTHOUGH WITH MINNESOTA'S CLIMATE, YOU LIKELY WON'T GROW ANY FRUITS.

YOUR LOCAL GYM CAN'T EVEN COMPETE WITH A GARDEN, EITHER.

AT A GYM, YOU HAVE LEERING STRANGERS JUDGING YOU ON YOUR FORM AND STAMINA.

IN A GARDEN, THE ONLY LEERING EYES BELONG TO SQUIRRELS, AND THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE JOBS SO WHO ARE THEY TO JUDGE?

NOW, MANY OF YOU MIGHT HAVE A DESIRE TO LOSE WEIGHT AND TO THAT I SAY, ARE YOU SURE THE GYM IS THE RIGHT WAY TO DO THAT?

I KNOW A PLACE IN TOWN THAT OFFERS FAT-FREE, SUGAR-FREE, MEALS THAT ARE SURE TO HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT, AND IF YOU CAN'T TELL ALREADY, I'M TALKING ABOUT YOUR GARDEN!

LISTEN, I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF EASY COMPARISONS TO MAKE BETWEEN GYMS AND GARDENS, BUT IF YOU NEED ONE MORE REASON AS TO WHY GARDENS ARE BETTER THAN GYMS, IT'S BECAUSE GARDENS ARE SO MUCH MORE GIVING.

NO ONE WOULD EVER GO TO A GYM PARTY AND NO ONE WOULD EVER WANT A BOUQUET OF DUMBBELLS.

BUT EVERYBODY WANTS TO GO TO A GARDEN PARTY, AND WHO WOULDN'T BE DELIGHTED WITH A BOUQUET OF FLOWERS?

I MEAN, SURE, GYMS MIGHT MAKE YOU LOOK BETTER, BUT BELIEVE ME WHEN I TELL YOU A GARDEN IS JUST A BET